


Step by Step, Together

by Lafaiette



Series: Fire Emblem Three Houses Ships [5]
Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: F/M, Family Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, Parenthood, birthday gift for parker uwu
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-14
Updated: 2020-06-14
Packaged: 2021-03-04 05:48:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 982
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24718534
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lafaiette/pseuds/Lafaiette
Summary: Dorothea was less worried, although events like the one that had just occurred would trigger her strongest maternal instincts. She knew Leopold just needed to find his own tastes, to discover the world at his own pace.He wasn’t Ferdie and she had tried multiple times to make her husband see that.
Relationships: Ferdinand von Aegir/Dorothea Arnault
Series: Fire Emblem Three Houses Ships [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1481567
Comments: 2
Kudos: 43





	Step by Step, Together

“Ferdie.” Dorothea sat next to her husband, in their quiet study filled with flowers and expensive wooden furniture. He looked up from the papers he was reading and signing, and gave her a warm smile.

“Hm?”   
  
“Were you ever sensitive - as a kid?”

Ferdie’s smile turned into a puzzled and worried frown. He placed his quill back into the inkpot and rested his hands on the desk, his long fingers tapping lightly on it. 

“Well… I believe so? I guess all children are sensitive, some way or another.”

Dorothea hummed, lost in thought, then shot him a glare as she folded her arms on her chest, making him jump a little. 

“I’m not sure I can imagine you crying after being asked to speak up or cowering behind your mother’s skirts.”

“Oh.” Ferdie’s perfectly plucked eyebrows shot up. “Is that what happened with Leopold?”

Dorothea immediately softened and nodded, turning to look out of one of the large windows that overlooked the smaller garden of the estate. She knew their son was there, playing on his favorite swing, the one Professor Byleth had made for him.

“He wanted to tell me something, but I couldn’t hear him. He started crying after I asked him to speak a bit louder. He got overwhelmed, I think.”

Ferdie sighed. He being worried about their son’s behaviour wasn’t a secret - he would often try to convince him to ride with him or train with wooden weapons, but the child would promptly hide within himself and refuse to do all those activities which had so intrigued Ferdie in his youth. 

Dorothea was less worried, although events like the one that had just occurred would trigger her strongest maternal instincts. She knew Leopold just needed to find his own tastes, to discover the world at his own pace. He wasn’t Ferdie and she had tried multiple times to make her husband see that. 

Said husband was now mumbling, staring at the wall with a hand on his chin, his free hand still tapping on the desk.

“Maybe we need to bring him outside more often, let him see more people… He is always cooped up in here, watching you embroider or listening to the maids’ tales…”

“I think that would make things even worse.” Dorothea’s glare returned. “Seriously, Ferdie, you can be so  _ dense  _ sometimes! We must not put him in a hurry- we just need to give him time.”

“I-I know! But…” He started fidgeting with his hands and turned to the window like she had done before. “I just want him to be happy. He is our youngest child - he won’t inherit the title, but a noble’s life can be hard and difficult to navigate. He… He needs to…”

“He needs to be ready. I know.” Dorothea’s smile was gentle and warm, and when she rested her head on Ferdie’s shoulder, he managed to calm down a little. “But he needs to do it his own way, otherwise we will just end up scarring him.”

Ferdie sighed again, but this time he wasn’t worried nor annoyed. He trusted Dorothea’s judgment immensely and he knew she was right, as always. He always trusted in her wisdom and knowledge.

“Shall we go to him?” he asked softly, papers and documents forgotten on the desk. “I could use some fresh air, too.”

Leopold was still in the garden, but he had abandoned the swing to play with some small flowers growing freely and without order in a secluded corner. He tensed up a bit when he heard footsteps, fearing it to be some servant sent to retrieve him - he loved all the maids and butlers of the Aegir estate, but he was terribly shy around them.   
  
He smiled with relief when he saw his parents, both carrying some food and water.

“Hello, my little one.” Ferdie greeted him, sitting right next to him on the grass, not caring about the soil and dirt that would stain his pants. “How are you?”

“I’m fine, Ferdie.”   
  
“Did you find anything interesting?” Dorothea asked, sprawling her large skirts on the field, her smile making Leopold blush happily. “Would you like some cookies? Mommy made them for you!”

“Yes, please.” He timidly took one, already licking his lips. Dorothea’s cooking had improved greatly since her days at the Academy. 

“I found a snail.” He then said without further questions, clearly at ease and feeling relaxed in the quiet, empty garden. “Oh, and a butterfly landed on my nose before!”

They let him describe his games in the garden, the wonderful flowers and creatures he had found in there - it was rare for him to talk so much, especially after crying. But nature seemed to have a soothing effect on him and Ferdie restrained himself and his mannerisms, so distant and different from his son’s. 

The child finally relaxed enough to face the topic that had scared him so much before - he admitted to having had a small accident, and to have felt too frightened and confused to talk about it with Dorothea. 

It was a silly matter and nobody had gotten hurt, but the loud noise had upset him and he hadn’t been able to open up with his parents, until now.

“Oh, my little one.” Dorothea hugged him and smooched his face. “It’s alright, Leopold. We could never get angry at you.”   
  
Ferdie smiled at his son as he looked at him from above Dorothea’s shoulder.    
  
“Your mother is right. We are here for you, little one.”

Leopold smiled at him for the first time since they had entered the gardens - until now all his smiles had been directed at Dorothea, much to Ferdie’s pain and confusion - and Ferdie squeezed his small, still-plump fingers, smiling in return. 

“It will be alright.” he promised, he swore. “Step by step. Together. Alright?”   
  
Leopold nodded and a veil of happy tears blurred his eyes.   
  
“Alright.”

**Author's Note:**

> Birthday gift for the amazing [parker](https://twitter.com/TAGASAING) <3 Leopold belongs to him!


End file.
